Troopers

We have returned to the other dimension to prepare ourselves for a next mission where we are to fight side by side with Lord Vader. That mission will probably be the deciding factor for us to become Storm Commandos.

We have been here only a short time. Many things have happened. I stand here at the center of this place called The Zone on planet Earth where I died. I was crushed by a nuclear reactor.

Oh I am going to have a lot of explaining to do when I return. Nahja…she may not like what I have become. Not too mention, I’m going to be bringing another woman home too. Homecoming is going to be interesting.

Nahja…she said she would join the Empire for me…I do love Nahja, but I said I would leave my post for her. How could I say that? What came over me? To abandon my post is to abandon the Empire, the Emperor. It would be treasonous. I can’t abandon my Emperor. Can I? Carida drilled service to the Empire above all else. We are nothing more than the extension of his will. I am loyal to the Empire. To the Emperor.

Things here on Mon Gazza have become more complicated of late. A lot has happened since the rescue of Nahja and Joanna.

After our return to the garrison, Gavin and Anton fell ill. At first Giff thought it was nothing more than the flu. It turned out to be a very dangerous virus unknown virus. After a short time the virus began to cause extensive internal bleeding forcing Giff to have to rotate his three patients in and out of the bacta tank in an attempt to slow down the organ deterioration.

The only link we could think of between Anton, Gavin and the civilian junk dealer, Elina were bandits. Each had been in close combat with a group of bandits that according to the local populace had made trade with the neighboring town Fyrestone nearly impossible. In an attempt to get Giff more aid we went to enlist the aid of Doctor Alyssa Ceylon. Doctor Ceylon, however had left for Fyrestone after hearing about a disease in the town. Linking these bits of information it was decided that Fryestone was the source of the virus and perhaps the key to saving the lives of Anton and Ragdos.

We managed to force our way through the bandit “quarantine”. Finding Doctor Ceylon was my first priority for my team. We easily mananaged to find the doctor after entering the town. She was having issues determining what the virus was and how to treat it as well. What was managed to be pieced together is that the virus put a mental stress on its host that in some cases would case them to violently lash out.

We were closer to determining what exactly was going on. I decided that it was time to assault the main bandit camp. That camp was not what I or anyone expected. It was a covert Imperial research program under the direct command of Ysanne Isard.

Knowing it was an Imperial force I authorized an assault to allow Lieutenant Razor the opportunity to infiltrate the camp. (I am a loyalist to the Empire!) The small force was much more heavily armed than what I anticipated. Madame Director Isard had cloaked Delta class assault shuttles. With the surprise of the shuttles I ceased fire and surrendered.

I managed to persuade Isard that we thought this was only a bandit camp, and that we were here to capture and question the bandit leader about the nature of the virus. When questioned by Isard I answered that three of my troops were infected by the virus, Ragdos, Anton, and Devol who had just started showing symptoms.

Isard gave me the cure for my team, and questioned whether any civilians had come down with the virus as well. I answered that only my team had somehow become infected. I think she believed me. Before moving her research team out, she ordered that 2nd squad was being brought under her command and watchful eye.

After recovering her team, she ordered the destruction of Fyrestone and the camp. The Empire was never there.

Ysanne Isard’s shuttle has left the planet. The Troopers decided to make the most of their situation, and prepare for other possibilities. Razor decides to ensure security around the garrison, and immediately begins searching for any evidence that Isard has already setup surveillance, and runs an errand in town. Allen decides that he should take this time to establish some serious computer protocols and encryptions so that the Troopers have secure communications if they are to be spied upon. Allen also becomes curious about what is going on with the Darktrooper project. Gavin decides to check on the various people in the garrison, especially to ensure that plague victims are being cured. To that end, Giff and Alyssa have been working hard to synthesize the cure that Razor obtained from Isard’s encampment. Due to Alyssa’s work with the virus, her ward, a young girl named Autumn started to wander the garrison, spotted by Gavin, but ultimately she ends up in Allen’s lab where she displayed strange power over mechanical and electrical devices. She may have even prevented Allen’s snooping from being compromised as he activated a well hidden embedded security protocol in the file he had decrypted. Gavin meanwhile noticing something out of place begins searching for answers, when Leon joins him. Leon discovers that Autumn is responsible, and it seems likely that she has force powers. Meanwhile Gavin begins to hear a voice, a voice which wants to meet with him locally. He agrees to arrange a meeting, on his own terms. The voice seems to want Gavin to obtain the powers that Creed obtained…but to what end? Meanwhile Gavin, Leon, and Allen decide on what to do with the young girl, torn between Imperial orders and their own morals or desires, the debate drags on. The former droid of Creed, MNK-01 weighs in on the situation by providing what information he had on the Empire and force users. It is finally agreed upon that the girl will be allowed to leave the planet…will she be able to leave peacefully? What is Razor’s next move? What does the meeting later that night hold for Gavin and the rest of the Troopers? Answers to all this and more, next time on Troopers!

Outbreak

First it was Ragdos. Before too long half the squad had been infected, plus a local townsperson, Elina Peri. It was believed to just be a bad cold, until it wouldn’t go away. Nutonne tried to find out what was wrong, but couldn’t figure out what it was that was causing the illness. The situation didn’t become urgent until Strayer started to cough up blood…a lot of blood, and was confined to a bacta tank to slow down the rate of organ death he was suddenly stricken with. After much debate, information gathering, and what little research they could conduct, the Troopers decided to head to a neighboring settlement which seemed to have come down with the disease on a much grander scale. A quarantine inadvertently reinforced by the bandits which now surrounded the city had essentially shut down the city. The only doctor in the area, Alyssa Ceylon struggled to find a cure. Her efforts, and the efforts of the Troopers were hampered not only by the mysterious nature of the illness itself, but that it seemed to exert some mental stress or perhaps control over the infected. Events of sabotage and violence would occur, seemingly at random, but connections were starting to appear.

The Troopers decided to find the main bandit camp, for they had heard that the bandits themselves had not been infected, and that the bandits themselves were the only biological connection between the two settlements. At the bandit camp the Troopers discovered something…unexpected, as the Director of Imperial Intelligence, Ysanne Isard herself was at the camp with a science team and stormtrooper guards. The Troopers tried to make a diversion so that their commando observer, Razor, could make an escape from the camp with his discoveries, but Isard had more reinforcements than anticipated, including Delta class assault shuttles equipped with cloaking devices. So the Troopers were force to admit their mistake, and were summarily reorganized in to Isard’s unit, under Isard’s command. What will happen now…

Leon's Journal

Today I was presented with the choice. Allister gave me three options. Choose Joanna—the mission—and let Nahja die, choose Nahja letting Joanna die, or join forces with him to save them both. It was a rough decision.

Allister wants to better the Empire by killing off those who are corrupt with power. It sounds like a great ideal. But is it really our place to decide who is to live and die? I do not find it hard to kill. It is the life of a soldier to kill and I am a soldier. A soldier however is not meant to question orders. Siding with him is akin to betraying the Empire itself.

Not only do I feel its betraying the Empire, but I want to kill that bastard no matter what. He betrayed his unit and Emperor. Now he wants to go and kill high ranking Imperial officials? How is that serving the good of the Empire? Won’t it just leave a power vacuum to be filled by whoever can marshall the greatest support?

I am a soldier. My mission is to rescue Joanna. I must accomplish that…but…I can’t seem to let go of Nahja… Can I really sacrifice her to protect my honor and loyalty to the Empire? Would I truly have any honor left if I allowed her to die knowing I could save her? It’s just sacrficing the lives of the corrupt? Surly…No…It’s still disloyalty…

I sold myself to the devil. I accepted Allister’s terms. The moment I see the opportunity…I will kill him. I will make him suffer. Allister must die for there to be peace in the Empire. I will kill him, but for now. I will save the woman I love, uphold my promise, and complete my mission objective.

Leon's Journal

Lance Corporal Mathew Feldspar is dead. It’s partially my fault. I allowed him to charge into a room of enemies with two proton torpedos set to explode. He wasn’t able to dodge the explosion this time.

Now, Creed, or RJ as he was back at the academy, has showed up. His apprentice, Allister—another squad mate from the academy, has captured both Joana and Nahja. I sense a crossroad ahead. Where I will have to chose between the woman I love and the promise I made to Kyle…

Leon's Journal

The mission to Dantooine was a success. The objective was to determine whether or not Joanna was being held by Rebel forces, and if so execute an extraction. As it turns out Joanna was not being held by the enemies at that location. We decimated what was left of the remaining forces that were evacuating the base and copied their database systems.

It seems as well that I am in conflict with a single Imperial regulation, the taking of prisoners. I can see how the taking of prisoners is important to the gathering of information, but at the same time there is a time and place for such things. Working a black op mission is not the time to take prisoners. I do hope that the others realize this so that we don’t have to deal with another situation like that again. However, reflecting on that I need to work more on my skills of leadership and not let things unfold on their own. Especially when I have the ability to control how a situation unfolds.

Aside from that single incident the mission was incredibly smooth. My squad is meant for black op missions. With my tactical knowledge and the wide range of skills possessed by the members of the unit we are prepared for just about every situation. And when a situation goes bad, we have Giff to extend our combat capabilities for the success of the mission. In all I believe this squad will be able to serve the Empire well, even if they do not appreciate our accomplishments. I wonder if the Admiral will be able to do what he says…

Leon's Journal

I can’t believe this shit! We complete one of the most deadly missions we have ever encountered and they don’t even award us properly! I am a veteran combat trooper with a veteran squad that has battle against beings that have powers beyond that of their race and now I’m being sent to a planet on the outer rim. I left the outer rim. I don’t want to go back there. Fry my hide! They don’t even offer us commendations or promotions. Ugh… Maybe it will give me time to meet up with Nahja.

Play Action Pass

The Troopers arrive on Dantooine without problem. From the mission data they have, they choose a mountain pass to move through, hoping to catch the base by surprise. The pass is narrow, winding, and has loose rocks, but the Troopers manage to navigate it without the loss of a vehicle. A patrolling speeder was encountered and destroyed, the crew however survived and surrendered. Weapon discharge and disorganization lead to the death of one of the rebel soldiers. Moving on the Troopers came across a listening post. Through Matthew and Allen’s efforts, the listening post was neutralized without giving any warning to the base. The Troopers arrived at the base perimeter, and began to plan their assault.